New Owners Of Highland Inn On Preserving Its History And Plans For Renovations

A century-old Atlanta landmark, the businesses at Highland Row have long been treasured by the community as event spaces and neighborhood hangout spots. Rumors ran rampant last summer when threats of demolition by the owner gave Atlantans a shock. But the conversation changed when a young development firm, Canvas Companies, bought the historic Highland Inn and its neighboring business in February. Ben McLoughlin and Mike Garber, the new owners of Highland Row, joined “City Lights” senior producer Kim Drobes via Zoom to talk about the future of the beloved local hub, and their plans to preserve its history, aesthetic charm and authenticity.

“We both really love historic buildings with a legacy and a history… Both of us had a dream of bringing one of [Atlanta’s historic hotels] back to life,” said Garber. McLoughlin, a longtime resident of the Poncey-Highlands neighborhood, added, “Specifically with the Highland Inn… [we] passed the property for years and years and years, and always threw it back and forth, ‘Man, imagine if we could own that hotel and the adjacent commercial building, how awesome would that be?’”

The real estate partners’ sense of purpose in preserving neighborhood staples comes from experience as well as a personal connection. Garber and McLoughlin, self-proclaimed history buffs, were previously involved with 551 Ponce, also known as the Ponce Hotel, which housed the former nightclub MJQ. Garber said, “When we come across these old buildings we can start finding out the stories of what happened there… In the 70s, I met my husband there and we spoke on that deal with Karl Injex, one of the… early DJs at MJQ.” He went on, “All that kind of stuff excites us… We’re kind of doing the same thing now at the Highland Inn, just trying to learn more about the history and try and incorporate it into the future.”